Current installation : A new hope

The economy is groaning in the throes of labor, and it remains to be seen what will be born of these times. Some believe it bodes ill, like John Forbes, whom I met at a symposium on his article concerning the top ten dying cities in the US. Less than a year ago, I would have concurred. I had a well formed conclusion that adversity might result in triumph for others, but probably not for me. I hunted relentlessly for meaningful work for a number of years and found instead a harshly enforced status quo. Not everyone wanted new ideas. Fewer still were comfortable with risk. I wondered how many others were frustrated like me. Just how many young, talented workers in my demographic were hungry for a place to make an impact, where their ideas would be heard, where they could begin a legacy? People like us are the treasures hidden in darkness, working bad hours for worse pay, awaiting a gentle dawn to appear on our horizon. But that dawn may never come if we don't chase it. If all the world's a stage and we but simple players, this player has decided to make the play work for her. I am chasing the dawn.

Seven months of hard searching in Europe left a lasting impression on me. I studied and worked in southern France, hoping to find my career there. I made deep, lasting relationships in a very short period of time, traversing the social boundaries of the French "politesse," creating a social network that wanted me to stay in the area, that explored every avenue on my behalf. In the end, hiring freezes and visa requirements finally put an end to my local endeavors in France. But the experiencing was at once shattering and bolstering. If the goal had been only to find work, my efforts had only been moderately successful, as the work I found never became a career. But upon taking in the big picture, I realized that I had dozens of people I'd met only a few short months prior searching for work for me. I saw hard evidence of my commercial value in the eyes and efforts of others.

As a result of my time abroad, I learned a language remarkably quickly, started writing a book, and seriously considered entrepreneurship for the first time. I also realized that I had been believing a lie: that no one would hire me for the things I was truly great at. My freelance editing work was starting to pick up, and translation/proofreading work was starting to materialize as well. Perhaps investing eight years in editing/proofing and twelve years in public speaking had not been in vain. My life had turned a corner. I knew that when I returned to the US, if I accepted bad hours and low pay, it would not be as a necessity for survival, but as a means to an end. I was going to make something of all this unpleasantness. I have been given a mind that can coax and tease words into a work of art. I am a fearless and inspirational public speaker who can weave words into anything she wishes, while still maintaining her integrity. When I tell my story, people are genuinely moved. I have been telling this story for years because it impacts people. But now I know what it's worth. I have more to offer the world than simple inspiration. My skills can change lives, and I have seen the proof of it. I am The Wordcrafter, and I am at your service.